Showing posts with label comics. Show all posts
Showing posts with label comics. Show all posts

Thursday, August 10, 2023

Reading Room WEIRD FANTASIES "Life Battery"

Though this may look like an EC Comic from the 1950s...
Art by Landon Chesney
...it's actually a one-shot underground comic from the 1970s.
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"Eando Binder" was the pen-name for the writing team of Earl and Otto ("EandO", get it?) Binder, whose tale from Startling Stories' July 1939 edition served as the basis for this adaptation by writer Bill Spicer and artist Landon Chesney.
Chesney was one of the major contributors to the just-developing comics fandom of the 1960s, contributing art to numerous short-run pamphlets and magazines, including the covers to Fantasy Illustrated 1 & 3, but not 2, where this story appeared.

He never turned pro, and passed away in 2001.
While this version (with some superb color work) appeared in Los Angeles Comic Book Company's underground one-shot Weird Fantasies #1 (1972),  it originally appeared in b/w form in the fan/prozine Fantasy Illustrated #2 (1964), published by Bill Spicer.

Tuesday, July 11, 2023

Reading Room WORLD OF FANTASY "Clock Strikes NEVER!"

Here's a fascinating Silver Age tale about time travel...
...from the period when Atlas Comics was transitioning into Marvel Comics!
Penciled and inked by Steve Ditko, this story from Atlas' World of Fantasy #18 (1959) has some intriguing concepts, including the idea that nothing can travel back before its' creation date, which would rule out time travel into the distant past (before the temporal travel device was created)!
But my big question is...who is "Fate"?
He pops up at the beginning of Page 4 and remains lurking in the background for the rest of the story, becoming a second narrator!
Besides looking visually-kool, what's his purpose?
He doesn't interfere...or even warn/advise the protaganist!
Since the story's narrator refers to Fate in the third person, we know the blue guy is not the one hosting the tale!
Like the identity of the story's writer, it's a mystery that'll never be solved...

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Sunday, June 4, 2023

It's Pride Month...

...and we believe everyone (except villains) should be welcome in the multiverse!
So, since there are now numerous LGBTQ+ characters and stories in almost every genre of Movie/TV/Graphic storytelling...
...we're going to be presenting (and linking to) a number of them in various RetroBlogs during June!
(For the prurient among you, everything will be PG-13)
Starting this week, you'll find stories at
on Wednesdays for the entire month!
And we'll inform you of where else in the RetroBlogs multiverse you'll see more tales...

Friday, May 26, 2023

Friday Fun JETTA OF THE 21st CENTURY "Jet-Heeled Prom" and "Zingbats"

Like most comics of the era, Jetta of the 21st Century had text stories...
...to qualify for second-class (magazine) mailing rates!
The text stories featured other characters from the "Jetta-verse"!
Written by "Dixon Wells" (a pen-name used only for Jetta text stories), this never-reprinted piece from Standard's Jetta of the 21st Century #7 (1953) would've made a pretty good comic story.
Perhaps it was scripted by Dan DeCarlo?
Also included in this final issue of the series was this one-pager totally-unrelated to the "Jetta-verse"...
No credits are available for this short, which probably was meant for one of Standard's sci-fi comics, Lost Worlds or Fantastic Worlds!
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Dan DeCarlo's Jetta

Sunday, April 2, 2023

Gorgeous Goodies for Your Easter Basket!

Back in the 1940s and '50s, comic book companies produced a prodigious number of holiday-themed annuals and one-shots!
For example, a multitude of Christmas-themed comic books flooded America's magazine racks every November and December!
(In fact, a large part of our popular Cool Christmas collection is based on them.)
But, did you know that several publishers also did Easter-oriented books?
And, that noted comics illustrators including Walt (Pogo) Kelly contributed art to them?
Believing that there's always room for more classic comics collectibles, we at Atomic Kommie Comics™ added a new line of goodies to our Happy Holidays section entitled Exciting Easter!
Yes, it's eggs, bunnies, chicks, and other fuzzy animals galore digitally-restored and remastered from Baby Boomer-era classic comics covers on baby bibs, infant creepers / onesies, toddler and kid t-shirts, greeting cards, mugs, and a plethora of other kool kollectibles!
They make great Easter basket stuffers! (And they won't rot your kids' teeth like marshmallow chicks or chocolate bunnies!)
So click over and see what's in our basket!

Friday, March 10, 2023

Friday Fun ABBOTT AND COSTELLO COMICS "About Space" Part 1

Bud Abbott (the skinny straight man) and Lou Costello (the plump comedian)...

...were one of the most popular comedy teams in movies, radio, and TV for decades!
Yes, it's a cliffhanger!
And, no, you won't have to wait a week to see the conclusion!
Be here tomorrow, as we present the fantastic finale in our ongoing weekend feature,...
Space Hero/Space Heroine Saturdays!
Though some of their movies are (rightly) considered classics, it was always due to the duo, who were never given a decent-sized budget!
Even my all-time favorite, Universal's Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein, had only a b-movie budget and a lot of recycled sets, props, and costumes!
This original (not adapted from radio or movies) story from St. John's Abbott and Costello Comics #3 (1948), written by John Graham and illustrated by Lily "Lilly" Renee and Eric Peters, shows how comics creators visualized spectacular tales unrestrained by financial limitations!

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Lily Renee, Escape Artist

Saturday, March 4, 2023

Space Hero Saturdays FANTASTIC WORLDS "Space Treasure"

What's it like to be just another working stiff doing his job...but in outer space?
This tale from Standard's Fantastic Worlds #5 (1952) offers some insight...
Lovingly-rendered by Murphy Anderson, the story was created between his stints on the Buck Rogers newspaper strip, and certainly has the "look" of the legendary comic!
Please Support Atomic Kommie Comics
Visit Amazon and Order...

Sunday, February 19, 2023

Fill Your Easter Basket with JOY!

Back in the 1940s and 50s, comic book companies produced a prodigious number of holiday annuals and one-shots.

For example, a multitude of Christmas-themed comic books flooded America's magazine racks every November and December!
(In fact, a large part of our popular Cool Christmas collection is based on them.)
But, did you know that several publishers also did Easter-oriented books?
And, that noted comics illustrators including Walt Kelly (Pogo) and Harrison Cady (Peter Rabbit) contributed art to them?
Believing that there's always room for more classic comics collectibles, we at Atomic Kommie Comics™ offer a line of goodies entitled Exciting Easter!
Yes, it's eggs, bunnies, chicks, and other fuzzy animals galore digitally-restored and remastered from Baby Boomer-era classic comics covers on baby bibs, infant creepers / onesies, toddler and kid t-shirts, greeting cards, mugs, nursery clocks (like the one above) and a plethora of kool kollectibles!
They make great Easter basket stuffers! (And they won't rot your kids' teeth like marshmallow chicks or chocolate bunnies!)
So click over and see what's in our basket!

Sunday, February 5, 2023

Tell Your Loved One "Giddiyap, Sweetie!" on Valentines Day!

Valentine's Day is almost upon us, and nothing says "I Love You" like gunpowder, horse blankets, and guys who don't bathe for days, right?
Right?
Someone sure thought so back in the 1950s, when two of the most popular genres--romances and Westerns were combined into Western romances (or Romantic Westerns) in both prose fiction and comics.
True Love Comics Tales™ has digitally-restored and remastered the best of the comic cover art from that all-too-brief shining period of American literature for a new line of Valentine's Day goodies including greeting cards, diaries, teddy bears, even shirts, tops, and, well...bottoms for men and women at...
Just the thing for the cowboy or cowgirl in your life!
A Valentine's Day Public Service message from the buckaroos at Atomic Kommie Comics™


Sunday, January 29, 2023

Give True Love (Comics Tales) to YOUR True Love!

Comics aren't just about spandex-clad heroes and heroines in battles of cosmic import!
They also tell intimate tales of heartbreak and true love, betrayal and redemption, and misery and sheer joy!

With than in mind, Valentine's Day is coming!
What says "True Love" better than a kool, kitchy gift from True Love Comics Tales™? (Plus, it's both longer-lasting AND cheaper than a dozen roses!)
Choose from over 50 heart-rending designs in eleven categories including...
All You Need is Love...
Confessions
Dear Beatrice Fairfax 
(The ORIGINAL LonelyHearts Columnist)
Diaries and Letters
Lovers Lane
Mod Love
(1960s Pop-art!)
Negro Romance
The First (and only) Black Love Comic!
School of Love 
(or is that Love in School?)
'70s Tender Love Stories
Weddings
Western Love
on greeting cards, teddy bears, calendars, shirts/tops/intimate wear, diaries, and many other kool kollectibles!
Hey, they're cheaper than roses...and much longer-lasting!

A public service announcement for all lovers and would-be lovers from your BFFs at Atomic Kommie Comics™